Traffic at European airports almost doubled in 2022 compared with the previous year, but remained below pre-pandemic levels, the European branch of Airports Council International (ACI Europe) reported on Tuesday.

Traffic in 2022 jumped 98% on 2021 to 1.94 billion passengers, but was still 21% below the levels seen in 2019. Only 27% of the continent's airports have fully recovered from the pandemic, added the association, which represents over 500 airports in 55 countries.

"This is not yet a full recovery. European airports are still 500 million passengers short in 2022 compared with the pre-pandemic situation," said Olivier Jankovec, ACI Europe's managing director, in a statement.

The traffic outlook is improving, however, added Olivier Jankovec, with demand headwinds easing slightly with the reopening of the Chinese market, easing recession fears in Europe and slowing inflation.

ACI Europe lists Istanbul, London Heathrow, Paris Charles De Gaulle, Amsterdam Schiphol and Madrid airports among the five busiest airports in Europe, with traffic up 114% in 2022 but down 22.6% on 2019.

The top 5 was dominated by Turkey and Russia in 2021.

Around 90% of smaller and regional airports recovered their 2019 volumes, ACI Europe reported, thanks to low-cost airlines driving performance and tourism demand, and limited or no exposure to Asia.

Airports in Kazakhstan and Armenia, meanwhile, benefited from an influx of traffic from Russia.

(Reported by Olivier Sorgho and Piotr Lipinski, Dina Kartit, edited by Kate Entringer)